High temperature seal and method

Abstract

An embodiment of a turbine assembly includes, among other possible things, a first component including a first component surface, a second component including a second component surface spaced apart from the first component surface, and a brush seal disposed between the first component and the second component. The brush seal includes, among other things, a first bristled region extending in a first direction from a backing plate, and sealingly engaging one of the first component surface and the second component surface. At least one of the backing plate and the first bristled region includes a nickel-based superalloy material having at least 40% of a Ni3(Al,X) precipitate phase, X being a metallic or refractory element other than Al.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A turbine assembly comprising:
 a first component, including a first component surface; 
 a second component including a second component surface spaced in a first direction apart from the first component surface defining a cavity therebetween; and 
 a brush seal disposed between the first component and the second component, the brush seal comprising:
 a backing plate including a first mounting surface; and 
 a first bristled region including a first of a first plurality of combs attached at a solid supporting end to the first mounting surface of the backing plate, the first plurality of combs each including a plurality of bristles integrally formed with the solid supporting end, each plurality of bristles extending from the solid supporting end into the cavity to form at least a first row of integral bristles sealingly engaging at least one of the first component surface and the second component surface; 
 wherein at least the first bristled region comprises a nickel-based superalloy material having at least 40% of a Ni 3 (Al,X) precipitate phase, X being a metallic or refractory element other than Al. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the superalloy material comprises a single crystal. 
     
     
       3. The assembly of  claim 1 ,
 wherein a second of the first plurality of combs is attached at the solid supporting end to the first of the first plurality of combs, the integrally formed plurality of bristles extending from the solid supporting end into the cavity to form at least a second row of integral bristles linearly offset from the first row. 
 
     
     
       4. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the brush seal further comprises:
 a second bristled region extending in a second direction from the backing plate, the second direction different from the first direction; 
 wherein the second bristled region comprises a second plurality of combs secured to a second mounting surface of the backing plate, each comb including a plurality of bristles defining at least one complete row of the second bristled region. 
 
     
     
       5. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first component and the second component includes a component selected from a group consisting of: a static turbine airfoil, a rotating turbine airfoil, and a segmented blade outer air seal (BOAS). 
     
     
       6. A brush seal comprising:
 a backing plate; and 
 a first bristled region including a first of a first plurality of combs attached at a solid supporting end to the first mounting surface of the backing plate, the first plurality of combs each including a plurality of bristles integrally formed with the solid supporting end, each plurality of bristles extending from the solid supporting end to form at least a first row of integral bristled for sealingly engaging at least one of a first component surface and a second component surface; 
 wherein the first bristled region comprises a nickel-based superalloy having at least 40% of a Ni 3 (Al,X) precipitate phase, X being a metallic or refractory element other than Al. 
 
     
     
       7. The brush seal of  claim 6 , wherein the superalloy material comprises a single crystal. 
     
     
       8. The brush seal of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of bristles are arranged on the first mounting surface such that adjacent ones of the first row of bristles and an adjacent second row of bristles are linearly offset from one another. 
     
     
       9. The brush seal of  claim 8 , wherein the first bristled region further comprises a plurality of extruded rods interspersed between at least the first row and second row of bristles. 
     
     
       10. The brush seal of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a second bristled region extending in a second direction from the backing plate, the second direction different from the first direction. 
 
     
     
       11. A method for making a brush seal, the method comprising:
 providing a base material comprising a nickel-based superalloy material having at least 40% of a Ni 3 (Al,X) precipitate phase, X being a metallic or refractory element other than Al; 
 forming a bristled region including a first of a first plurality of combs each having a plurality of bristles integrally formed with and extending from a solid supporting end, the bristled region formed from a first portion of the base material; and 
 securing the solid supporting end of the first bristled region to a first mounting surface of a backing plate such that the plurality of bristles extends in a first direction from the backing plate for sealingly engaging at least one of a first component surface and a second component surface. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the superalloy material comprises a single crystal. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein forming the bristled region further comprises:
 forming the base material into a plurality of combs, each comb including a plurality of bristles defining at least one complete row of the first bristled region; and 
 stacking the plurality of combs such that the at least one complete row of bristles from a first of the plurality of combs is linearly offset from the at least one complete row of bristles from an immediately adjacent comb. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein forming the bristled region further comprises:
 forming a second portion of the base material into a plurality of rods; 
 manipulating the rods into a plurality of textured wires having a generally round cross-section; 
 cutting the plurality of textured wires to a desired bristle length; and 
 interspersing the plurality of textured wires between ones of the plurality of combs. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein forming the backing plate comprises:
 forming the single crystal superalloy material into a sheet having a thickness in a range of 0.004 to 0.50 inches (0.10 mm to 12.7 mm) inclusive.